Social security

Social security is provided by The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Czech Social Security Administration (Česká správa sociálního zabezpečení). CSSA is competent in the sphere of pension insurance, sickness insurance and medical board responsible for evaluation of the state of health of the insured persons.

The system of social security in the CR consists of three parts:
1.    State Social Subsidy - benefits and allowances, such as child care allowances, birth grants, and death grants
2.    Social Assistance - targeted principally towards persons in need (benefits for handicapped people, living grants,  care grants, family allowances)
3.    Social Insurance - all permanent or long-term residents of the Czech Republic are entitled to social assistance when their other forms of income do not suffice in ensuring an adequate level of living

The Czech social security system is financed from two sources of finance, social contribution and general taxation.

Social security covers:
•    sick benefit (sick benefit, support while looking after a family member, compensatory maternity and pregnancy grant, maternity benefit)
•    pension (retirement pension, disability allowance (fully/partly disabled), widow/widower pension, orphan pension)
•    social security insurance plus contribution to state labour policy

Pensioners
Retirement age is different for men and women. Whereas men retire at the age of 62, the retirement age for women depends on the number of children born to woman (57-61). In order to get old-age pension it is necessary to complete at least 25 years of insurance.

Incapacity for work
The insured person is entitled to sickness benefits that not paid first 3 days of sickness. Sickness benefits for temporary incapacity expire after one year followed by invalidity pension for long-term incapacity.

Unemployment
You are eligible for unemployment benefits under certain conditions. You have to be registered in Labour Office. The unemployment benefit is paid for 5 months for those under 50 years. First two months you get 65% of salary, next two months just 50% and the rest 45%.

Family
All mothers are entitled to a birth grant after the delivery of their child (13 000CZK). Parental allowances are provided to parents who take care of their child up to the age of 4. If family meets certain criteria, each child is entitled to a periodic child allowance until the end of the compulsory education. The period can be extended until the age of 26 in case he/she is still student.

(NICM, 11/2008)